When MG Motor hits the Indian roads with XS, the mini SUV leaders such as Hyundai Creta, Maruti S-Cross, and Renault Duster have reasons to worry. Tempting design, awe-inspiring interior, pampering features, and an economical price tag sum up XS.

The star rise follows MG Motor’s takeover of GM’s plant at Hanol in Gujarat. The Chinese-owned British automaker chose the Gujarat plant to make its debut in India. China’s SAIC plans to invest about Rs 2,000 crore in the Hanol plant in the initial phase. The factory that sprawls on 170 acres can be back in business without much tweaking.

The automaker plans a production capacity of 80,000 units per year. The first SUV from MG Motor will hit the roads in 2019.

MG Motor has hired only about 70 employees for Halol. The company is expected to generate more employment gradually. The inauguration of the first plant in India is a crucial moment for MG Motor India, company president Rajeev Chaba and executive director P. Balendran said.

Brand familiarity

MG XS

The MG Motor brand is no stranger to India. Around 500 classic MG cars already belong to India. The brand with over nine decades of heritage is a head turner. The MG Motor fans can’t wait for the day when an offering from the racing specialist hit the streets.

MG, or Morris Garages, was formed in 1924. It was brought out by China’s SAIC in 2008.

SAIC is a giant. The company sells about 61 lakh cars in China alone, more than double of the total car sales in India. SAIC is relatively new in the industry. Formed in 1974, the company initially survived in cooperation with Volkswagen and General Motors. Gradually, the Chinese company bought stakes in the German and US Companies. GM was bailed out in a crisis situation by the SAIC.

Tested and trusted

GM Motor’s mini SUV, based on its larger GX, was unveiled in the recent London motor show. The brand is a competitor of SsangYong Tivoli and Nissan Juke in the British market.